The Financial Times joins growing consensus against NHS reform

Continuing the ICBs coverage of organisations against the NHS reform bill, the Financial Times has announced it is now against the bill. The FT is the latest in a long list of societies, groups, companies and individuals who are calling for the Government to drop the bill.

Though pro-reform the FT believes that:

“Dropping the bill and pursuing change without omnibus legislation looks on balance the better bet.”

FT seems to agree with the growing consensus that the government has got its priorities wrong over the bill, saying that the bill is a “mess”.

Any reform has to balance top down management, competition, and the self-determination of doctors and nurses. The FT appears to believe that the current bill is too heavily waited towards top-down management, saying that David Cameron has failed to live up to his manifesto pledge not to impose top-down reorganisation on the NHS.

The FT also notes that the bill has destroyed Andrew Lansley’s reputation, noting that: